Apparatus for notching the edges of addressograph plates



March 1958 L. P. DOUGHERTY 2,826,125

APH-LRA'IUS FOR NOTCHING THE EDGES OF ADDRESSOGRAPH PLATES Filed Jan. 28, 1953 v 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

M h 11, 1958 L. P. DOUGHERTY 2,826,125

APPARATUS FOR NQTCHING THE EDGES OF ADDRESSOGRAPH PLATES Filed Jan. 28. 1953 l 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 51 v hm Wm? INVENTOR. L P T March 11, 1958 L. P. DOUGHERTY 2, 2

APPARATUS FOR NOTCHING THE. EDGES OF ADDRESSOGRAPH PLATES FiledJah. 28, 1953 V S'Sheets-Sheet-3 INVENTOR.

. A TTORNEYJ') APPARATUE FOR NOTCHING THE EDGES E ADDRESSOGRAPH PLATES Leo i. Daugherty, New York, N. Y. Application January 28, 1953, Serial No. 333,781 1 Claim. (Cl. 90-59) The present invention relates to a machine for notching the upper and lower edges of the usual form of addressing machine or addressograph plates.

It has become customary to place notches, ordinarily of V-shaped, at arbitrary locations along the upper and lower edges of addressograph plates in order to permit subsequent use of these notches to distinguish one class of plates from another. For example, a series of twelve notch positions might be utilized to indicate expiration of magazine subscriptions during each one of the twelve months of the year. The presence of a notch in one of these twelve positions would cause all plates having that notch to be ejected from the addressograph machine prior to printing with the result that these plates could be reassembled in a separate stack and utilized for printing special magazines having an expiration notice enclosed therein.

In the past it has been customary to notch the plates in the desired location or locations by means of a punching mechanism which was hand fed. This operation is not only slow but also frequently results in the notches being mis-located. Moreover, the notching frequently causes bending of the plate adjacent the notched out area and burring of the edges of the notch.

In fact, the difiiculties resulting from the mislocation and poor formation of notches has resulted in a much lessened use of automatic plate selection, as many large users of addressograph plates have been forced to discontinue the use of such automatic selection despite its manifest advantages.

By my invention addressograph plates are assembled in a stack and all of the plates in the stack are notched in a single operation while held in fixed position in a magazine which is in turn fed in fixed register against milling cutters or saws mounted in fixed locations on an arbor. As a result all plates are properly notched in an exact position.

The device of my invention is so arranged that any number of notches up to the maximum may be simultaneously cut in a plate, the plates being stacked in a magazine so that the feeding movement of the magazine beneath the cutters serves the plates then in the magazine.

Additionally, the magazine is so constructed that it may be turned over with the plates held therein so that the opposite edge of the plates may be notched in desired locations.

It is an object of my invention to provide a machine for notching addressograph or similar plates in predeter mined desired locations, the notching being done accurately and rapidly.

It is another object of my invention to provide such a machine wherein the notches are properly formed and have no distorted or burred edges, and the formation of the notch does not distort the plate edges.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a machine as described above wherein the notching is done.

States Patent 0 to sequentially notch all of I by milling cutters which are accurately spaced on an arbor and so arranged that any number of notches from one to thelmaximum possible number may be cut simultaneous y.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a machine as above-described wherein an entire assemblage of plates may be fed into the machine to be notched in rapid sequence and in which the plates are assembled in a magazine which is reversible, that is, may be turned upside down so that both the upper and lower edge of the plates may be notched in a desired pattern.

Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent when the following description is considered in connection with the annexed drawings, in which,

Figure l is a top plan view of the plate notching machine of my invention;

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical cross-sectional view of the machine of Figure 1, the section being taken ont-he plane of the line 2-2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view of the machine of Figure l the view being taken on the line 3-3 of Figure l;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view of the machine of Figure 1 showing particularly the arrangement for driving the feeding mechanism;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the machine of Figure 1 showing particularly the mode of mounting the cutters on an arbor and of spacing them so that the notches will be cut at the proper locations;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a magazine in which the plates are assembled and held during the notching operation;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the arbor with the cutters and spacers mounted thereon and shows particularly a mounting of a guard member which covers the cutters and which when pivoted to expose the cutters opens a switch cutting off current to the cutter drive motor;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary view partly in crosssection showing a portion of the device which collects metal chips so that they may be readily removed from the machine, the portion of the device not shown in Figure 8 being shown in Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary top plan view of the table top of Figure 1 showing the mode in which this table top is recessed in order that plates may be removed from the usual storage tray and readily inserted in the magazine; and

Figure 10 is a vertical cross-section taken on the plane of the line 10-10 of Figure 9 and showing how certain flanges of the storage tray are positioned to cooperate with similar ribs in the magazine so that the plates may readily be moved from position in the tray to position in the magazine.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to Figure 1, there is shown therein a series of bars 10, 11, 12 and 13. Mounted transversely of the four bars mentioned are two channels 14 and 15, the channels being fastened to the bars in any suitable manner and the assemblage of bars and channels constituting a framework.

As will be seen particularly in Figure 2, a pair of angle irons 16 and 17 are mounted on the horizontally extending flanges of the channels 14 and 15 respectively, the angle irons 16 and 17 forming bearing surfaces and guides for a table 18, a dependent portion 20 of which extends downwardly between the depending flanges or angle irons 16 and 17. Thus the table 18 is mounted for reciprocatory movement in a horizontal plane.

Fixed to the underside of the depending portion 20 of the table 18 is a rack 21 which rack meshes with a gear 22 fixed on a shaft 23 extending between the channels 14 and 15 and being suitably supported in the bearings 24 and 25. Shaft 23 carries at its left end aspur Patented Mar. 11, s

gear 26 and at its right end a hand wheel 27. The spur gear "26 is at times engaged with a gear 28 which gear is mounted on the shaft 30 of motor 31.

The gear 28 is slidable on the shaft 30 and is caused to be held in one of two positions by means of a ball detent 32 cooperating with a pair of notches 33 and 34 in the shaft 30. It will be noted that shaft 30 is square in cross-section at the area of mounting of the gear 28 so that it cooperates with a square opening in the gear 28 to drive the gear. When the .gear 28 is in its left hand position the motor 31 is ineffective to drive the shaft 23 and the feeding mechanism may then be driven through the medium of the hand wheel 27.

When the gear 28 is in its right hand position as shown in Figure 4 the motor 31 will drive the feeding mechanism. This motor 31 is mounted on the bars 12 and 13 as is clearly shown in Figure l and is electrically arranged so that when it is energized it will feed the table 18 through a complete reciprocatory cycle, suitable limit stops and reversing switches (not shown) being provided for this purpose.

Mounted upon the reciprocatory table 18 for movement therewith is a magazine in which an assemblage of addressograph plates is clamped. This magazine will belater described in detail.

Mounted above the table and in position to cooperate with the plates in the magazine are a plurality of rotary cutters 35. These cutters are mounted on an arbor 36 which arbor is supported in bearings 37 and 3S fixed. in the bracket 40 which is secured to the channel 14. The cutters 35 are spaced along the arbor 36 by means of the spacing washers 41, the axial thickness of the cutters 35 at the hub and the axial thickness of the washers 41 being identical although it would be possible to utilize washers and cutters having different thicknesses. For example, the washers might be one-half the hub thickness of the cutters.

Fixed to the arbor 36 between the bearings 37 and 38 is a pulley 42, which is coupled by means of belt 43 to a pulley 44 on a shaft of the drive motor 45 which drive motor is mounted upon the frame bars and 11.

As indicated hereinabove a magazine is provided to hold a plurality of addressograph plates which are to receive the same notching. This magazine is best illustrated in Figure 6 and comprises two side rails 50 and 51 joined at one end by a cross bar 52, the cross bar having the same dimensions as does an addressograph plate. The cross bar 52 bears a plurality of notches in each of its upper and lower edges, these notches in the present instance being 24 in number so that there are 24 possible notch positions on the upper edge and 24 possible notch positions on the lower edge of the addressograph plates to be operated upon. The notches designated 53 are of course correlated with the possible positions of cutters 35 on the arbor 36.

Integral with the inside of each side rail 50 and 51 and near'the bottom thereof, as shown in Figure 6, is a rib 54 or 55 which ribs cooperate with the usual notches in the sides of the addressograph plates. Pivotally mounted across the front of the side rails 50 and 51 is a front plate 56, the plate being pivotally mounted on the screw 57 which extends into the side rail 55 and being fixed to the side rail 50 by means of a screw 58 which extends into a slotted opening 60 in the plate 56. Threadedly mounted in the tapped hole in the center of the plate 56 is a rod 61 having fixed thereto the hand wheel 62. Rod 61 carries at its right hand end, as seen in Figure 6, a plate 63 which plate extends between the inner edges of the ribs 54 and 55 and is guided thereby. This assemblage of the front plate 56, hand wheel 62, threaded rod 61, and plate 63 serves as a means to compact plates and hold them in position While the table top is reciprocated beneath the rotating milling cutters 36 to thereby produce the desired notches in the addressograph plates.

When the hand wheel 62 has been rotated in a counterclockwise direction to the maximum extent, dowel pins 64 which extend forwardly (to the left as seen in Figure 6) will enter into the hole 65 in the plate 56 whereupon the front plate 56 may be rotated about the pivot screw 57 opening the magazine.

In order that plates which have been notched may be ejected from the magazine a plate 66 is provided which plate is notched at 67 to correspond with the notches 53 in the end plate 52. The plate 67 slides upon the inwardly projecting ribs 54 and 55 and is provided with a U-shaped handle member which extends through the rear plate 52 and is fastened within the magazine to the plate 66. By this means plates which have been notched may be ejected from the magazine.

Table top 18 is provided with a plurality of dowels 63 (see Figure 2) and the side rails 50 and 51 of the magazine are provided with corresponding dowel holes 70, these holes being provided in both the top and bottom edges of theside rails 50 and 51. Additionally, the side rails 50 and Sll are provided with a plurality of holes 71 extending vertically therethrough, which holes align with tapped holes in the table top 18 when the dowel holes '70 are placed on the dowel pins 68. By means of this arrangement the magazine may be removed from the table top and inverted and thus the addressograph plates may be notched on either or both edges if desirable.

In order that the magazine may be easily loaded and unloaded the table top has a recess formed therein as indicated particularly at 72 (Figures 9 and 10). This recess has a depth equal to the thickness of the usual addressograph storage tray '73 and extends into the area of the table top between the side rails 50 and 51 of the magazine. Thus the magazine front plate 56 may be pivoted to open position, the end of a storage tray 73 (having addressograph plates mounted thereon with the bent over edges 74 of the tray engaging the notches of the plates) placed in the recess 72, and the addressograph plates then simply slid from the storage tray 73 into the magazine with the side notches of the plates engaging the ribs Sdand 55 of the side rails 50 and 51 respectively.

In order to protect the operator of the machine a guard indicated at 75 (Figures 1 and 7) is placed over the cutters 35. This guard is a sheet metal piece bent into arcuate shape and pivotally mounted on a rod 76 suitably fixed to a stationary portion of the machine such, for example, as to the channels 14 and 15. Extending downwardly beyond the pivot point 76 is a member 77 formed integrally with the guard '75, member '77 carrying a strip of insulation 78 thereon which is adapted to press against and open a pair of contacts 80 when the guard is rotated counterclockwise about the pivot point. Thus, whenever the guard is raised out of its protecting position the contacts 80 are caused to be opened, thus opening the circuit from the line to the arbor driving motor 4-5 and preventing operation of that motor.

A collector of waste material is provided, this collector comprising a curved chute 81 shown particularly in Figure 8. This chute extends for the full width of the magazine and has a lip 82 extending toward and generally under the cutters so that material thrown out by centrifugal force from the cutters is thrown up the chute and accumulates in the depressed end 83 of the chute from which it may be removed by simply opening the hinged bottom 84 of the chute 81. A hinged flap 85 fixed to the forward upper edge of the chute 81 is adapted to cooperate with a lip 82 formed on the cutter guard 75. This flap 85 causes all metal chips to pass into the chute rather than being ejected into the room or onto the machine.

From the above the operation of the machine will be readily followed. First, the nut is removed from the end of arbor 36, the cutters and spacing Washers removed, and reassembled in the proper order to assure that there will be notches in the desired positions.

For example, let it be assumed that a particular set of addressograph plates is to be notched in the 1st, 4th and 20th positions, there being a possible 24 notch positions. In this case a cutter 35 is first placed on the arbor, then two spacing Washers 41, then another cutter 35, then fifteen spacing Washers 41, a third cutter 35 and four spacing Washers 41, after Which the nut is replaced on the end spindle and tightened.

The table 18 is fed to the right (upwardly as seen in Figure 1) if it is not already in its extreme right hand position, the magazine opened in the manner heretofore described, and addressograph plates inserted therein.

The magazine is then closed and the hand wheel 62 operated in a clockwise direction to compact the plates between the plate 63 and plate 67. Guard 75 is placed over the cutters to ensure closure of the circuit to the motor 45 and that motor is started. The table top is then fed (either under drive of the feed motor 31 or of the feed hand wheel 27) and the magazine is moved beneath the cutters until all plates in the assemblage in the magazine have been notched after which the direction of motion of the table top is reversed, the motion stopped and the addressograph plates, properly notched, removed from the magazine.

While preferred embodiments of the invention have been described it will be understood that various modifications of this invention may be made and therefore I wish to be limited not by the foregoing description but by the claim granted to me.

What is claimed is:

A magazine for an addressograph plate notching machine, said magazine comprising a pair of side rails, a fixed end plate extending across said side rails at one end thereof, a second end plate at the opposite end of said side rails, said second end plate being pivotally mounted on one of said side rails whereby the magazine may be opened by pivotal movement of said second end plate for insertion and removal of addressograph plates from said one end thereof, an ejector plate and a U-shaped rod on the ends of which said ejector plate is mounted, said rod extending through bores in said first-mentioned plate and being operable to eject addressograph plates from their position in the magazine through the opening provided by pivoting said second-mentioned plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 719,194 Cooney Jan. 27, 1903 1,149,346 Dubay Aug. 10, 1915 1,348,148 Bergstrom Aug. 3, 1920 1,574,827 Litchfield Mar. 2, 1926 1,908,748 Grant May 16, 1933 2,148,156 Hagopian Feb. 21, 1939 2,350,099 Dermond May 30, 1944 2,363,383 Bertoldo et al. Nov. 21, 1944 2,383,999 Voity et al. Sept. 4, 1945 2,436,423 Dowd et al. Feb. 24, 1948 2,634,475 Browne Apr. 14, 1953 2,752,631 Wendt July 3, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 750,522 Germany Jan. 16, 1945 

